RANGERS manager Walter Smith last night vowed he will never move upstairs to a director of football job at Ibrox.

The 61-year-old has been showing striking legend Ally McCoist the ropes as his No 2 since returning for a second spell in charge and there is a widespread feeling he will eventually pass on the torch and take up another role at the club.

But Smith, fresh from wrapping up a domestic double, insists he will not hang around at Ibrox when he finally decides to quit the hotseat.

He said: “I want to make one thing clear, I am not going to do that.

“I don’t want to be a director of football or anything like that and sit in judgment of another manager.

“If I leave Rangers, I will leave and that is it. If they welcome me back and I am able to sit and watch a game or two, that will be fine.”

As Express Sport revealed following his SPL title success, Smith will remain in charge for next term and lead Rangers back into the Champions League proper.

The manager insists he has not planned a date for retirement and claims events on the pitch are likely to have as big a say in that as anything else.

Smith said: “I came back with the hope of making Rangers a bit better and I think we’ve done that.

“When you get over 60, people start to talk of retiral age. It is a natural assumption that it is going to happen shortly.

“The job becomes more important than contracts and the timing has to be right for you to leave.

“When I feel it might be right even that might change.

“If we did not win the league and cup this year, the thoughts might have been a bit different.”

Sir
Alex Ferguson, who brought Smith back into football at Manchester
United after his spell at Everton ended in March 2002, is still going
strong at the grand old age of 67.

Like his Old Trafford counterpart, the prospect of continuing to rebuild Rangers drives Smith on.

He said: “I had been out of work for 18 months before Sir Alex asked me to Manchester United for a few months.

“When I came back to management and saw an improvement with Scotland and Rangers, I enjoyed that aspect of it.

“Thoughts
of retiring cross your mind but it is easier when things are going
well. Seeing improvement in my team keeps me going.”